Kip’s Comments - July 14, 2025

“There are Cactus in Iowa?”

Early this morning I was talking to a buddy about what he and I were doing today. When I explained that my activities planned for the day included finding a cactus to photograph, he replied with “There are cactus in Iowa?” Well, the answer is yes, there are cacti in Iowa, but probably not too many.

Plains Pricklypear Cactus - Image 995893

I was hoping I hadn’t missed the bloom of the cactus, but after finding them, it was obvious I was too late. Oh well, finding a cactus in Iowa that was not blooming was better than not finding any cacti during my search. After all, the hike was a warm, sweaty endeavor - I needed to find them.

Plains Pricklypear Cactus - Image 995918

In the process of searching for cacti I did shoot more pictures. There were too many to post here, so I will pick out some of the more interesting for your review.

Creamy Russulea Fungi - Image 995684

Destroying Angel Fungus - Image 995748

Old Man of the Woods Fungus - Image 995854

White Jelly Fungus - Image 996105

Globe - Mississippi River Landscape